Sostieni Pryanka Patel

Hi everyone, I want to share something personal today. Opening up about health is never easy, but it feels important. My name is Pryanka, I’m 36 and I live in London, UK. I work for the NHS, doing long 12.5-hour shift patterns as a medic. Every day, I care for people of all ages living with different conditions some lifelong, some newly diagnosed. Witnessing this daily has really touched my heart. I genuinely love what I do, but it has also reinforced a powerful truth: no matter how committed you are to your work, your health must always come first.

A big part of my own journey, often unseen, is my health. After Covid, my asthma gradually worsened, and despite managing a busy career and life, I now live with severe asthma not the mild kind. It can be incredibly challenging, especially when chest infections hit and I end up in hospital needing nebulisers or stronger medications like steroids. I really dislike taking steroids, but sometimes they’re unavoidable. Since September 2025, I’ve been on biologic treatment, and thankfully it has made a real difference to my breathing.

Alongside this, I attend around 10–15 asthma related appointments every year for reviews, check-ups, and ongoing monitoring. While these appointments are essential, taking frequent time off work is incredibly hard. When you add in days or even weeks off sick due to chest infections and lingering coughs, it inevitably impacts work attendance and performance. I’ve been placed on sickness stages because of my asthma, which can be emotionally draining especially when you’re doing everything you can just to stay well and keep going. Emotional breakdowns are real.

Living with a long-term health condition isn’t easy for anyone. It takes a huge toll, both physically and emotionally, and can make even everyday routines feel overwhelming. Still, I continue to move forward adapting, learning, and showing up with resilience, honesty, and hope. Every bit of support truly means so much, helping me keep going with strength, purpose, and belief in what’s still possible.